The present invention relates generally to apparatuses, systems, and methods for the hyperthermic treatment of patients which can include the co-administration of various pharmaceuticals to the patient. In optional embodiments of the invention, different applicator and antenna designs may be utilized to provide for radiation with different radio frequency signal operating parameters so as to be best applicable to various anatomical sites for various patients. The invention may also include set procedures as well as software for using the applicator to treat a patient.
Hyperthermic therapy is understood to be the exposure of a patient to a higher temperature than their own body temperature. Oftentimes hyperthermia is used as a type of cancer treatment with temperatures of bodily tissue easily exceeding 110° F. or at least 42° C. It is known in the art that higher temperatures can often damage tumor cells including cancer cells while leaving normal tissue cells unharmed. Such application may either shrink or remove tumors from a patient and in some instances may be combined with other treatment options such as chemotherapy and/or radiation to create a synergistic effect in treating the patient. A variety of different cancers may be treated with hyperthermic devices, a sample of which may include brain cancer, lung cancer, melanoma as well as additional other types.
In some hyperthermic treatments, heat may be applied in a localized area which may include the use of microwaves, ultrasound or various types of radiation. Some approaches are external wherein a device is positioned near the desired area for treatment and heating is facilitated. In other styles of treatment, the treatment methods may be described as internal where a probe may be placed within body cavities or alternatively inserted into the tumor directly with heat subsequently applied. In yet further types of hyperthermic treatment, certain treatment styles may include treatment for the entire body which can include placing the patient within a chamber that may raise the body temperature significantly.
A common concern with hyperthermia treatment is the potential discomfort from burns, swelling or other side effects resulting from the heating of an area of a patient's body. A variety of various prior art methods may utilize cooling systems so as to reduce the surface temperature of the skin while still heating the underlying tissue. Unfortunately, such arrangements can be very difficult to coordinate the desired frequency with the desired heating of a tumor and can affect heating depth. While hyperthermia technology has been used for a variety of patients, these previous hyperthermia technologies suffer from limitations including significant side effects to the patient as well as unpredictability of the heating pattern of a patient and limited depth of heating pattern. Additional complications may arise from the possible inadvertent administration of heat and/or electromagnetic radiation to the medical care provider. What is needed, therefore, is an apparatus, method and system of providing hyperthermic treatment to a patient which may be administered for a localized region while being predictable, controllable and easy to monitor so that less energy is used and the chances of side effects are minimized.